1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in substitute lamp simulators as replacements for phosphor excitable lamps in plural lamp fixtures, and more particularly, to lamp simulators of the type stated which effectively simulate an operable energizable lamp and which are relatively low cost, as well as methods of using the same and manufacturing the same.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, there has been an interest in reducing the number of fluorescent lights in multi-fluorescent lamp fixtures in order to reduce energy requirements. The same holds true with the phosphor energizable lamp fixtures such as the fixtures which operate with the so-called cathode discharge lamps. For example, in many office buildings and other forms of commercial installations, it has been found that one or more of the lamps in a multi-lamp fixture can be removed without appreciably reducing the total light output so that inefficiency and eye fatigue does not result. In other words, many commercially available fixtures were constructed so that an excess of light was generated for a given purpose.
Conventional fluorescent lamp fixtures were often constructed to hold and energize two lamps. The ballast and circuitry were designed so that each of said lamps were 180 degrees out of phase. In this way, flicker was canceled out to some extent. Thus, two lights were employed or otherwise lights in pairs were employed to reduce noticeable effects of flicker even though the extra lumen output was not required.
One of the problems involved in removing a lamp, as for example, a fluorescent lamp, from a two lamp fixture was the fact that the ballast was not effective to operate only one of the lamps. Thus, in a two-lamp fixture where a ballast was provided, and one of the lamps was burned out, the other of the lamps would not operate or otherwise operated inefficiently with an excess of power.
In order to obviate these problems, there has been a proposed capacitive operable device which was connected between the terminals of a fluorescent lamp which has been removed in a two fluorescent lamp fixture. In this way, the remaining lamp could operate without a substantial loss of lumen output and also minimizing the power factor deterioration. This system is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,665 to Westphal, et al. Another prior art system for permitting removal of one of the fluorescent lamps in a multi-lamp fixture and using a device connected to the sockets where the lamp has been removed is more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,881 to Abernathy. In this case, a non-reactive lamp circuit was employed.
In each case, while a means was employed to enable the remaining lamp and fixture to operate, the means employed was not effective in reducing the obvious noticeable effect of a missing lamp. In the case of the Westphal et al. system, the use of a mere capacitor in circuit was employed. While the Abernathy device did employ a lamp, it still appeared as though the lamp housing or bulb was burned out. Moreover, and in each case, it required substantial amount of effort in order to remove the existing construction and install a new construction. While the Abernathy device did employ a bulb with end caps and a terminal, it also suffered from the very substantial disadvantage that it could not be easily repaired.
The state of the art is such that the prior art devices are quite rudimentary. While they are designed to find a solution to a problem, they were not designed to represent the bulbs they replace or simulate. To this extent these prior art devices, while not physically appearing as the lamp they replace are referred to as "simulators" in this present application. For example, these prior art devices were not designed in a manner where end caps could be easily removed for replacement of the wire or the capacitor if the need should arise, and they were not made of a non-breakable material.
In the various prior art simulators as for example, the type illustrated in the Westphal et al patent and the type illustrated in the Abernathy patent, the wire extending across the bulb coud actually be seen. Any vibration in the room would cause the wire to vibrate and which was highly noticeable to an observer. Moreover, an observer looking at the lamp simulator will almost inevitably notice a vibration of the wire extending across the lamp simulator in these prior art devices and this is rather distracting.
The prior art lamp simulators were all constructed of glass, primarily due to the fact that the glass was made to a pre-cut size for use in the existing fluorescent bulb. Moreover, the prior art devices were apparently constructed of glass, due to the fact that plastic materials would tend to sag when constructed in lengths of six foot or greater. Another significant problem with the prior art lamp simulators is the fact that the construction was quite similar to that of an existing fluorescent bulb, even though it did not have the appearance of an existing fluorescent bulb. As a consequence, the end caps had a dimetral size which was slightly less than the actual size of the bulb itself. At least for purposes of shipment, each individual lamp simulator had to be thereafter shipped in a larger container. This of course materially added to the cost of production and distribution and hence, the overall cost of the simulator.
Further, and more importantly, these prior art simulators appeared as a dead bulb which is quite distracting to the observer. Typically, the user of an environment, which is lighted by these fluorescent lights or other phosphor energizable lamp, can perform quite satisfactorily without any perceptable loss of light, so long as the user believes that the same light output is present. However, when the user observes that a number of the lightbulbs in a particular environment have been removed and replaced, or otherwise appear to be dead, the user physiologically perceives of a loss of light. The present invention overcomes these as well as other problems.